Vaccines Provide Protection Against Delta Variant

Misbar has learned that the delta variant, also known as B.1.617.2, was first discovered in India and now makes up approximately 6% of U.S. COVID-19 cases according to ABC news. In the U.K., the delta variant makes up approximately 90% of the cases. 

When the BBC reporter explained the status of delta variant deaths among the vaccinated and unvaccinated in the U.K., she became somewhat confused by the way the text was written, and at one point said, “Wait a minute, that makes no sense.” According to another report by the BBC.com on June 12, 2021, “Nearly two-thirds of people infected with the delta variant, and more than half of those who have died with it, have not had a COVID vaccine at all, the latest official data suggests.”

According to Sky News, the delta variant is 64% more transmissible than the alpha variant indoors and vaccines are less effective against it. 

According to the same source, as of June 7, 2021, there have been 42 deaths in England of people confirmed as having the delta variant and who died within 28 days of testing positive.

Of these people, 23 were unvaccinated (55%), seven had had their first dose more than 21 days before and 12 had their second dose more than 14 days before.

Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines appear to be highly effective against the delta variant, although efficacy is lower for the delta variant than for the alpha variant of the virus. In one study, the Pfizer vaccine was 88% effective against symptomatic disease two weeks after the second dose and the AstraZeneca vaccine was 60% effective two weeks after the second dose.